Pushed and pulled information display on a computing device

Abstract

Methods and systems for displaying headlines corresponding to both pushed information and pulled information are described.

1 . A method of handling notifications to a user of a computing device, comprising: 
 integrating a first headline and a second headline into a sequence of headlines, where the first headline corresponds to information received at the computing device in a pushed manner and where the second headline corresponds to information received at the computing device in a pulled manner;    displaying the sequence of headlines on a display associated with the computing device such that headlines corresponding to information more recently received at the computing device, are displayed one of above and below headlines corresponding to information less recently received at the computing device, in the plane of the display;    receiving one or more indications of user interaction with the displayed sequence of headlines and causing a resource associated with one of the first headline and the second headline to be accessed based on an indication of user interaction with the displayed sequence of headlines being received.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 The information pushed to the computing device includes at least one of information relative to an instant message, a phone call, and an alarm indication.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 The information pulled to the computing device includes at least one of information relative to an email, to a web page, and to a newsgroup posting.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 When a headline is first displayed as part of the sequence of headlines, it is displayed in reverse video for a period of time and is displayed in non-reverse video thereafter.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 The displayed sequence of headlines becomes at least partially transparent upon occurrence of a specified condition.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 The specified condition includes passage of a specified period of time with no new headlines being integrated into the sequence of headlines and with no indications of user interaction being received.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 The user interaction is one of a single click of a mouse and a single tap of a stylus.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 The step of accessing a resource associated with one of the first headline and the second headline comprises displaying an additional user interface element and receiving an indication of user interaction with the additional user interface element.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein: 
 The step of accessing a resource further comprises sending a message from a first computer program to a second computer program where the first computer program and the second computer program are executing on the computing device.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , where the sequence of headlines is displayed using a user interface component selected from the list of: ListBox, ListView, ComboBox, RichTextBox, TextBox, DataGridView, DataGrid, ScrollPane, SplitPane, TabbedPane, TextArea, TextPane and EditorPane.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , where the sequence of headlines is displayed by one of a widget and a gadget.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , where the sequence of headlines is displayed within a tile or panel.  
   
   
       13 . A method of handling notifications to a user of a computing device, comprising: 
 providing a defined region on a display associated with the computing device;    integrating a first headline into a first sequence of headlines, the first headline corresponding to information received at the computing device in a pushed manner;    integrating a second headline into a second sequence of headlines, the second headline corresponding to information received at the computing device in a pulled manner;    displaying the first sequence of headlines within the defined region on the display such that headlines corresponding to information more recently received at the computing device, are displayed one of above and below headlines corresponding to information less recently received at the computing device, in the plane of the display;    displaying the second sequence of headlines within the defined region on the display such that headlines corresponding to information more recently received at the computing device, are displayed one of above and below headlines corresponding to information less recently received at the computing device, in the plane of the display;    receiving one or more indications of user interaction with the displayed first sequence of headlines and causing a resource associated with the first headline to be accessed based on an indication of user interaction with the displayed first sequence of headlines being received; and    receiving one or more indications of user interaction with the displayed second sequence of headlines and causing a resource associated with the second headline to be accessed based on an indication of user interaction with the displayed second sequence of headlines being received.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein: 
 The defined region is one of a sidebar and a window.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein: 
 The step of causing a resource associated with one of the first headline and second headline to be accessed further comprises displaying a user interface element and receiving an indication of user interaction with the user interface element.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , where the first sequence of headlines is displayed using one of a widget and a gadget.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , where the displayed first sequence of headlines is integrated within a tile or panel.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , where the displayed second sequence of headlines is integrated within a tile or panel.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , where the second sequence of headlines is displayed using one of a widget and a gadget.